1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video game device that displays on a game screen a gauge for representing the values of parameters relating to the game characters used in the game, a recording medium which stores a gauge display program, a gauge display program and a gauge method employed in this video game device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Video game devices are previously known in which a game can be played by operating game characters by a user who wishes to enjoy the video game in game space using a video game device. In such games, various parameters relating to the game characters are employed in order to improve the interest of the game by diversifying the progress of the game.
Typically, these parameters are displayed on the game screen using a gauge on which the parameter values are represented, the parameter values being displayed by numerical values or a gauge bar of length corresponding to a numerical value. The user can enjoy the video game by operating the characters while ascertaining the parameter values, by using the gauge displayed on a suitable game screen, in fixed manner or in response to user operation so as to perform operation in accordance with the parameter values.
However, in video games whose theme is a sport such as ice hockey or soccer, it is necessary to operate the game characters rapidly, so the operating condition of the game characters changes in a short space of time and the parameters which the user wishes to ascertain also change successively due to this change of operating condition. Consequently, the user must rapidly switch the gauge that is displayed in accordance with the operating condition of the game character and must use the displayed gauge to confirm the parameter values. Such operation imposes an excessive load on the user as a result of which the user becomes overburdened by this operation and cannot appreciate the interest of the video game itself.
Also, consideration may be given to displaying a plurality of gauges which the user wishes to check in fixed manner on the game screen in order to avoid the switching operation described above. However, since the size of the game display screen such as a television monitor is restricted and in the case of a video game whose theme is a sport such as ice hockey or soccer there are a large number of game characters etc to be displayed on the game screen, if a plurality of gauges are simultaneously displayed on the game screen, a large part of the game screen is occupied by the gauge, with the result that the image of the sports game itself cannot be properly displayed, thereby impairing the interest of the video game itself.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to make it possible for a user to ascertain easily parameter values relating to game characters; also, an object is to provide a gauge display program, gauge display method and video game device capable of satisfactorily displaying the image of the game itself and of satisfactorily presenting the interest of the video game itself to the user.